Deep well submersible pumping unit



May 28, 1963 W. C. WOLF DEEP WELL SUBMERSIBLE PUMPING UNIT Filed Feb. 23, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

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' DEEP WELL SUBMERSIBLE PUMPING UNIT Filed Feb. 23, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ,e 53 /Z3 /Z7 if 7 ai F'EOM Pl MP INVENTOR. W/LL/AIM 6. W045 United States Patent 3,991,181 DEEP WELL SUBMERSIBLE PUMPHQG UNIT William C. Wolf, 1828 Churchill Way, Oklahoma City, Okla. Filed Feb. 23, 1962, Ser. No. 175,603 3 Claims. (Cl. 163-45) This invention relates to deep well pumps, and more particularly to a deep well hydraulically operated pump of the electrically driven type.

A main object of the invention is to provide an improved hydraulically operated, electrically driven deep well pump which is relatively simple in construction, which employs no sucker rods, and which involves relatively few parts so that the pump is economical to operate and is reliable in its performance.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved deep well pump of the hydraulically operated type which is electrically driven, said pump involving relatively inexpensive components, employing relatively small size tubing, being adapted so that it may be designed either to employ a short stroke or a long stroke, and which requires a minimum amount of surface equipment so that the pump may be operated with a minimum amount of surface display and noise.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved deep well pumping unit of the hydraulically operated, electrically driven type which is adaptable for use in straight, inclined or crooked bores of any depth, which is easy to repair in the field, which provides a relatively large output for a given size unit and which employs a hydraulic system which is separate from the production working barrel of the pump and from the electric motor, providing maximum utilization of the lifting force developed therein and providing positive compression of gassy oils, whereby chances for gas lock are minimized.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved deep Well pump of the hydraulically operated, electrically driven type wherein oil of a wide range of specific gravity may be successfully lifted, and wherein the electric motor thereof is cooled by the oil, the electric motor transmitting heat to the oil so that the heat may be utilized to reduce the viscosity of relatively heavy oils and to promote the iiow thereof.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved deep well pump of the hydraulically operated, electrically driven type, the pump having a relatively high compression ratio, being easy to maintain in operating condition, and being arranged so that the speed of operation thereof may be easily controlled from the surface.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical cross sectional view taken through a portion of a well bore provided with an improved deep well, hydraulically operated, electrically driven pumping unit constructed in accordance with the present invention, portions of the pumping unit being shown in elevation and others being shown in vertical cross section.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged vertical cross sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a vertical cross sectional view taken substantially on the line i-4 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged horizontal cross sectional view taken substantially on the line 55 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 6 is a vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 7 is a vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of FIGURE 6.

3&91381 Patented May 28, 1963 Referring to the drawings, generally designates a well casing in a deep oil well 81, and 82 generally designates a pumping unit constructed according to the present invention installed in the well 81 and extending through the casing 80. The pump 82 comprises an outer housing consisting of tubular sections 4, 83 and 84 connected together and supported by the oil delivery tube 79 which carries the oil produced from the well to the surface to a suitable conduit, not shown, for transfer to a suitable storage tank, or the like.

The bottom housing section 4 is provided with a vented bottom closure plug 5, the axial vent 85 of plug 5 communicating with a flexible, generally cylindrical rubber bellows 1 surrounded by a coiled spring 3. Designated at 2 is a piston which is sealingly and slidably engaged inside the housing section 4 and which is supported on the top end of the rubber bellows 1 and the coiled spring 3, as shown in FIGURE 1. An electric motor 10 is secured to a plate element 6 which is fixedly secured to the upper portion of section 4, as shown in FIGURE 1, the portion of the tubular section 4 below the plate element 6 being filled with oil and the oil being freely expansi'ble so as to equalize the pressure around the elements of the electric motor 10. A junction box 9 is provided in the upper portion of the housing section 4 for connecting the motor leads to the conductors of a current supply cable 23. The shaft of the motor It) is connected to the pump drive shaft 13 by a suitable coupler 8.

The adjacent housing sections 4 and 83 are provided with the respective abutting end members 7 and 11 threadedly engaged therein and secured together by bolts 86. An annular piston 24 is sealingly engaged in the lower portion of housing section 83 and sealingly surrounds an axial conduit 87 secured in and extending upwardly from the coupling member 1 1. A coiled spring 16 surrounds the conduit 87 and bears between the piston 24 and a collar member 88 on the conduit 87.

The shaft '18 is suitably journaled in a tubular shaft housing 14 which is fixedly secured to member 11 and extends through the tubular member 87. The coupling members 7 and 11 are suitably bored to provide passage for the electric cable 23, the cable extending through the tubular member 87 adjacent the shaft housing 14, and emer ing from the top portion of the member 87. Rigidly connected to the top end of the shaft housing 14 is the pump supporting plate 26 on which is mounted the hydraulic pump 27. The pump 27 is of substantially conventional construction and the shaft 18 is drivingly connected to said pump. Cable 23 extends through a suitable bore provided in the peripheral portion of the plate 26.

Pump 27 is provided with the intake conduit 88 having a suitable filter 89. The output of the pump is connected to the pressure line 29.

Designated respectively at 36, 31 and 32 are respective hydraulic valve assemblies disposed in the housing section 83 above the pump 27. Pressure line 29 is connected respectively to the upper and lower portions of the valve assembly 34 at 90 and 91, is connected to the valve assembly 31 at 92 and is connected to the upper valve assembly 32 at 93.

As shown in FIGURE 1, the upper housing section 84 is coupled to the subjacent housing section 83 by a threaded coupling member 42, said member 42 having threaded top and bottom portions which are respectively threadedly engaged in the members 84 and 83. Depending supporting arms 58, 58 are secured to the coupling member 42, as shown in FIGURE 2, the valves 32 and 31 being respectively secured between said depending supporting arms 58, 58 in vertically spaced relationship.

'vertical axial sleeve 51 at its center portion.

piston 95 is provided with the depending headed rod 70 surrounded by a coiled spring 99 hearing between the bottom of the cylinder 94 and the head 100 of the rod 70, biasing piston 95 downwardly toward the position thereof shown in FIGURE 2.

The valve 31 comprises a cylinder 101 containing a piston 102 formed. with a transverse passage 103 which is located so as to connect the pressure fluid supply connection 92 with an Opposing output connection 104 when piston 102 is in its lowered position, illustrated in FIG- URE 2. Piston 102 is further provided with a vent passage 15 located so as to vent the connection 104 when the piston 102 is in its elevated position. Piston 102 is provided with the upwardly projecting rod 68 provided at its top end with an enlarged head 106. A coiled spring 107 surrounds the rod 68, bearing between cylinder 101 and head 106, and biasing the piston 102 upwardly. An axial tubular plunger rod 52 extends slidably and sealingly through the center of the coupling member 42, the lower end of said plunger rod being secured to the horizontal top arm 54 of a vertical bracket member 57, said bracket member being provided at its lower end with a horizontally extending arm 56 which extends between the head 100 of the depending rod 70 and the head 106 of the upwardly projecting rod 68, being engageable alternately with said heads responsive to the vertical reciprocation of the plunger member 52,

as will be presently described. A coiled spring 53 surrounds the lower portion of plunger member 52, bearing between the coupling member'42 and the arm 54, and

exerting a downward biasing force on the bracket member 57;

The coupling member 42 is formed with the upstanding internal externally threaded upwardly projecting collar element 108 to which is threadedly secured the vertical cylinder 43. Slidably and sealingly disposed inside the cylinder is the piston element 47 which carries the A tubular piston rod 45 is threadedly secured on the top end of the vertically projecting sleeve member 51, the piston rod 45 extending slidably and sealingly through the center of the topwall 44 of cylinder 43. The tubular piston :rod 45 also extends slidably and sealingly through the 'center of the top wall 61 provided on the housing segment 84, as shown in FIGURE 2. 7

An upwardly tapered, generally conical cover member 63 is secured on the top wall 61, the tubular piston rod 45 extending slidably and sealingly through the center of the tapered member 63. The top wall 61 is provided with a filter hole 65, for admitting hydraulic fluid into the housing comprising the sections 84, 83 and 4, the filler opening being provided with a closure plug 62 which is threadedly engaged therein and which is removabl whenever necessary.

Secured on the top wall 61 is the annular base 110 of a vertical lift pump cylinder 111, the base 110 being provided with the generally cylindrical apertured intake portion 112 which surrounds the conical plate member 63, as shown in FIGURE 2. Base 110 is secured to top wall 61 by a plurality of vertical bolts 67.

As" shown in FIGURE 2, the current supply cable 23 extends upwardly through the top wall 61, being pro vided with a sealing bushing 66 through which the cable passes, the cable extending upwardly through an aperture provided in the base member 110, as shown.

wardly tapering valve seat adapted to support the valve ball 73, which normally sealingly covers the intake ports 112' but which opens responsive to the downward movement of the cup member 72 in the cylinder 111, whereby to admit oil into the portion of the cylinder 111 above cup member 72. Upon upward movement of the member 72, the ball 73 seals the passages 112, whereby the oil trapped in the cylinder 111 is elevated. An upwardly opening check valve 77 is provided at the top end portion of the cylinder 111, between the connection of the cylinder 11-1 and the outlet conduit 79, as shown in FIGURE 2, the check valve 77 being provided with the valve ball 78 which norm-ally rests on its seat but which is movable upwardly responsive to upward pressure exerted thereon, for example, when fluid is elevated upwardly through the tubular body 111. Thus, the upward movement of the liquid in the member 111 causes the liquid to pass through the check valve 77, but downward flow of the liquid is prevented by the seating of the valve ball 78 in said check valve 77.

A headed guide tube 46 extends slidably through the sleeve 51, which is provided with a plurality of O-ring sealing elements 51'. The tube 46 extends into the tubular piston rod 45 and is provided at its top end with the head 50. The head 50 is engageable by the top end 114 of sleeve 51 at a predetermined elevated position of the piston 47 in the cylinder 43. The lower portion of the tube 46 is secured in the plunger member 52, being threadedly engaged through the member 54 and being locked thereto by a luck nut 115. A coiled spring 49 surrounds the top portion of the plunger member 52,

bearing between the coupling member 42 and the botintake conduit with an outlet connection 118 when the plunger 33 is in its elevated position. The passage 117 is located at the lower portion of the plunger mem+ ber 33 and connects the pressure fluid conduit connection 91 to an outlet connection 119 when the plunger 33 .is in its lowered position, shown in FIGURE 6. The top end of the plunger member 33 is provided with a vent passage 120 which vents the connection 118 when the plunger element 33 is in its lowered position, shown in FIGURE 6. The bottom end of the plunger member 33 is provided with a similar vent passage 121 which vents the connection 119 when the plunger member 33 is in its elevated position.

A spring biased ball detent member 39 is provided at the intermediate portion of the wall of cylinder 36, the ball 39 being engageable in respective detent recesses 122' and 123 provided in the plunger member 33 to yieldable retain said plunger member in either its lowered position, shown in FIGURE 6, or in its elevated position, previously mentioned.

Secured to the cylinder 36 is an operating cylinder 122 containing the piston 123, said piston being provided with a laterally projecting pin 124 which extends through the adjoining walls of the cylinders 122 and 36 and engages in a recess 125 provided in the plunger member 33, said duits 91 and 119, and the opposite position thereof, namely, the position wherein passage 116 connects conduits 118 and 90.

Respective conduits 59 and 60 are connected to the top and bottom ends of the cylinder 122, the conduit 59 leading to the outlet connection 194 of valve 31 and the conduit 69 leading to the outlet connection 97 of valve 32.

The upper outlet connection 118 of valve 30 is connected by means of a conduit 49 to the top end of the cylinder 43, the conduit 44} extending through the top wall 44 of said cylinder, as shown in FIGURE 1. The lower output connection 119 of cylinder 36 is connected by means of a conduit 41 to the bottom portion of the cylinder 43, the conduit 41 extending through the coupling member 42, as shown in FIGURE 2.

In operation, with the parts arranged in the positions shown in the drawings, the pump 27, driven by the motor 19, delivers hydraulic fluid under pressure to the pressure conduit 29. It will be understood that the hydraulic fluid in this case is oil which is contained in the housing section 83 around the pump 27, the oil being free to enter the pump through the strainer S9 and the inlet conduit 88'.

The oil under pressure in the conduit 29 passes through the connection 91, the bore 117 and the connection 119 in the valve 30, and enters the conduit 41 leading to the bottom portion of the cylinder 43. The valve piston 33 is disposed in the position shown in FIGURE 6 by the engagement of the arm 56 with the head 1% at the top end of the piston rod 68 which depresses piston H32 of valve 31 to align passage 103 with the connections 92 and 104. This arrangement is illustrated in FIGURE 4, wherein it is seen that pressure fluid from the conduit 29 may enter the conduit 59 and be admitted into the top end of cylinder 122, causing piston 123 to assume the lowered position thereof illustrated in FIGURE 7, in which position the passage 117 is aligned with the connections 91 and 119, as above mentioned.

The oil under pressure thus admitted into the bottom portion of cylinder 43 elevates the piston 47 and concurrently raises the tubular piston rod 45, thus elevating the cup-like check valve body 72, causing oil thereabove to be lifted through the check valve 77 into the discharge conduit 79. When piston -47 reaches the upper end of its stroke, the top end 114 of sleeve member 51 engages the head 56 of the rod 46, elevating the plunger member 52. and also elevating the bracket 57, so that arm 56 disengages from head 1%, allowing the piston 16?, of the lower valve 31 to rise so that passage 117 is closed and the connection 119 is vented to the interior of housing section 83 through the vent passage 121. The elevation of piston 162 is caused by the expansion of the biasing spring 107.

As arm 56 rises it eventually engages the head 160 of the depending piston rod 71} of piston 95, raising said piston 95 to a position wherein passage 96 becomes aligned with and connects the conduit connections 93 and 97. This admits oil under pressure into the conduit 6%, the oil under pressure being thus delivered to the bottom portion of the cylinder 122, causing the piston 123 to be elevated from the position thereof shown in FIG- URE 7 to a position wherein the passage 116 registers with the conduit connections 9% and 115. :The oil under pressure is thus delivered from the conduit connection 99 to the conduit 40, leading to the top portion of the cylinder 43. The oil under pressure enters the top portion of the cylinder 43 and acts on the piston 47 to move it downwardly toward the position thereof illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2, thus lowering the tubular piston rod 45 and with it the cup-like body 72, developing suction in the cylinder 111 thereabove and allowing the valve ball 73 to unseat and to admit oil into said cylinder 111, the suction holding the valve ball 73 seated in the seat of the check valve 77.

The downward movement of piston 47 continues until arm 56 engages the head 1% and moves piston 102 downwardly to a position to cause the passage 103 to register with the conduit connections 92 and 104, thus allowing oil under pressure to be admitted to the top end of the cylinder 1122, while at the same time, the piston 95 of valve 32 is lowered by the biasing action of spring 99 to the position thereof illustrated in FIGURE 4, in which the conduit connection 97 is vented to the interior of housing section 83. Thus, the bottom portion of cylinder 122 is vented to the interior of the housing section 83 while pressure fluid is admitted into the top portion of the cylinder 122, causing the piston 123 to be lowered towards the position thereof illustrated in FIGURE 7. This brings the passage 117 into registry with the conduit connections 91 and 119, initiating the next cycle, similar to the one above described.

It will thus be seen that the valve body '72 is vertically reciprocated in the cylinder 111, causing oil to be pumped upwardly through the conduit 79 to the surface. The action continues as long as the motor 10 is energized. The motor 14 being surrounded by oil, is cooled thereby, and in the case of heavy oil, the motor acts as a heater to reduce the viscosity of the oil and to promote free circulation thereof.

If so desired, the assembly may be modified so that the pump and motor are located at the surface instead of at the bottom end of the assembly. Thus, the motor 19 and pump 27 may be located at the surface and the pump may be connected in circuit with the pressure line 29 and the interior of the housing section 83 by means of suitable conduits.

It will be further apparent that by the use of the electric motor 10, suitably energized from a supply source located at the surface, the speed of operation of the apparatus may be readily controlled by regulating the speed of the motor 1G in accordance with the speed desired for the apparatus. The motor speed may be regulated by any suitable means, for example, by the use of a variable voltage transformer between the power source and the motor supply wires.

While a specific embodiment of an improved deep well pump has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a deep well submersible pump unit, an elongated housing adapted to be disposed in a well bore, a discharge conduit, a pump cylinder mounted on the top end of said housing and connected to said discharge conduit, said pump cylinder being open at its bottom end, an upwardly opening check valve in the pump cylinder, a piston in the cylinder below said first-named check valve and being provided with a second upwardly opening check valve, a driving cylinder in the housing, a driving piston in said driving cylinder, piston rod means connecting said pistons, a source of hydraulic fluid under pressure, a main control valve in said housing, a reciprocable valve element in said control valve, an operating cylinder on said control valve, a valve-operating piston in said operating cylinder connected to said valve element, respective vertically spaced auxiliary valves mounted in the housing below the driving cylinder, conduit means connecting said source respectively through said auxiliary valves to the top and bottom portions of said operating cylinder, said auxiliary valves being provided with vertically spaced actuating plunger-s directed toward each other, an abutment member extending between said actuating plungers and having a portion extending axially through said driving piston, means biasing said abutment member into operating engagement with the lower of the actuating plungers, means coupling said portion to the driving piston when said driving piston is moved upwardly to a predetermined position, to elevate said abutment member into operating engagement with the upper actuating plunger beyond said predetermined position, whereby to alternately open said auxiliary valves and to reciprocate said valve-operating piston and the valve element responsive to reciprocation of said driving piston, and means to'alternately admit hydraulic fluid from said source into said driving cylinder above and below said driving piston responsive to the reciprocation of said valve element, whereby to reciprocate said first-named piston.

2. In a deep well submersible pump unit, an elongated housing adapted to be disposed in a well bore, a discharge conduit, a pump cylinder mounted on the top end of said housing and connected to said discharge conduit, said pump cylinder being open at its bottom end, an upwardly opening check valve in the pump cylinder, a piston in the cylinder below said first-named check valve and being provided with a second upwardly opening check valve, a driving cylinder in the housing, a driving piston in said driving cylinder, piston rod means connecting said pistons, a source of hydraulic fluid under pressure, a main control valve in said housing, a reciprocable valve element in said control valve, an operating cylinder on said control valve, a valve-operating piston in said operating cylinder connected to said valve element, respective vertically spaced auxiliary valves mounted in the housing below the driving cylinder, conduit means connecting said source respectively through said auxiliary valves to the top and bottom portions of said operating cylinder, said auxiliary valves being provided with vertically spaced actuating plungers directed toward each other, an abutment member extending between said actuating plungers and having a portion extending axially through said driving piston, means biasing said abutment member into engagement with the lower of the actuating plungers, means coupling said portion to the driving piston when said driving piston is moved upwardly to a predetermined position, to elevate said abutment member into operating engagement with the upper actuating plunger beyond said predetermined position, whereby to alternately open said auxiliary valves and to reciprocate said valve-operating piston and valve element responsive to reciprocation of said driving piston, means to alternately admit hydraulic fluid from said source into said driving cylinder above and below said driving piston responsive to the reciprocation of said valve element, whereby to reciprocate said first-named piston, said source comprising a hydraulic pump mounted in the lower portion of the housing, and an electric motor mounted in the housing below the pump and drivingly connected thereto.

3. In a deep well submersible pump unit, an elongated housing adapted to be disposed in a well bore, a discharge conduit, a pump cylinder mounted on the top end of said housing and connected to said discharge conduit,

'rnain control valve in said housing, a reciprocable valve element in said control valve, an operating cylinder on said control valve, a valve-operating piston in said operating cylinder connected to said valve element, respective vertically spaced auxiliary valves mounted in the housing below the driving cylinder, conduit means connecting said source respectively to said auxiliary valves to the top and bottom portions of said operating cylinder, said, auxiliary valves being provided with vertically spaced actuating plungers directed toward each other, an abut-1 ment member extending between said actuating plungers: and having a portion extending axially through said driv-t ing piston, means biasing said abutment member into operating engagement with the lower of the actuating plungers, means coupling said portion to the driving piston When said driving piston is moved upwardly to a predetermined position, to elevate said abutment member into operating engagement with the upper actuating plunger beyond said predetermined position, whereby to alternately open said auxiliary valves and to reciprocate said valve operating piston and valve element responsive to reciprocation of said driving piston, means to alternately admit hydraulic fluid from'said source into said driving cylinder above and below said driving piston responsive to the reciprocation of said valve element, whereby to reciprocate the first-named piston, said source comprising a hydraulic pump mounted in the lower por tion of the housing and an electric motor mounted in the housing below the pump and drivingly connected thereto, means sealing the portion of the housing containing the hydraulic pump from the portion containing the electric motor, and a yieldable sealing piston in the housing below the electric motor, the housing being vented below said sealing piston, whereby to define an expansible chamber for the electric motor.

References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS 3 v Great Britain Aug. 15, 1928 1 I 

1. IN A DEEP WELL SUBMERSIBLE PUMP UNIT, AN ELONGATED HOUSING ADAPTED TO BE DISPOSED IN A WELL BORE, A DISCHARGE CONDUIT, A PUMP CYLINDER MOUNTED ON THE TOP END OF SAID HOUSING AND CONNECTED TO SAID DISCHARGE CONDUIT, SAID PUMP CYLINDER BEING OPEN AT ITS BOTTOM END, AN UPWARDLY OPENING CHECK VALVE IN THE PUMP CYLINDER, A PISTON IN THE CYLINDER BELOW SAID FIRST-NAMED CHECK VALVE AND BEING PROVIDED WITH A SECOND UPWARDLY OPENING CHECK VALVE, A DRIVING CYLINDER IN THE HOUSING, A DRIVING PISTON IN SAID DRIVING CYLINDER, PISTON ROD MEANS CONNECTING SAID PISTONS, A SOURCE OF HYDRAULIC FLUID UNDER PRESSURE, A MAIN CONTROL VALVE IN SAID HOUSING, A RECIPROCABLE VALVE ELEMENT IN SAID CONTROL VALVE, AN OPERATING CYLINDER ON SAID CONTROL VALVE, A VALVE-OPERATING PISTON IN SAID OPERATING CYLINDER CONNECTED TO SAID VALVE ELEMENT, RESPECTIVE VERTICALLY SPACED AUXILIARY VALVES MOUNTED IN THE HOUSING BELOW THE DRIVING CYLINDER, CONDUIT MEANS CONNECTING SAID SOURCE RESPECTIVELY THROUGH SAID AUXILIARY VALVES TO THE TOP AND BOTTOM PORTIONS OF SAID OPERATING CYLINDER, SAID AUXILIARY VALVES BEING PROVIDED WITH VERTICALLY SPACED ACTUATING PLUNGERS DIRECTED TOWARD EACH OTHER, AN ABUTMENT MEMBER EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID ACTUATING PLUNGERS AND HAVING A PORTION EXTENDING AXIALLY THROUGH SAID DRIVING PISTON, MEANS BIASING SAID ABUTMENT MEMBER INTO OPERATING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE LOWER OF THE ACTUATING PLUNGERS, MEANS COUPLING SAID PORTION TO THE DRIVING PISTON WHEN SAID DRIVING PISTON IS MOVED UP- 